Derbyshire country residence Willersley Castle is on the market for £4m as it seeks a new custodian to run it as a hotel or grand private home.
The palatial 18th-century mansion home was built for the textile industrialist and inventor Sir Richard Arkwright above the River Derwent at Cromford (near Matlock) by architect William Thomas. It was designed in a Georgian-style with castellations, and though Arkwright died before the imposing structure was complete, it remained in his family until the 1920s.
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
Courtesy DeWitt’s Property
During the wars, the mansion was used as an auxiliary hospital but more recently, it operated as a 30-bedroom hotel, with an additional 14-bed mews block.
The country property is now on the market for the first time in 100 years, and subject to planning approval, the 30,000 sq ft manse could be converted back to a private residence or redeveloped as a boutique destination hotel or commercial venture.
Willersley Castle is for sale through DeWitt’s Property, including 65 acres of mature gardens designed by 18th-century landscaper John Webb, as well as a detached coach, lodge gatehouse, stable block, swimming pool and tennis courts.
